


One More Time

by theredarmada



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, adrienette - Freeform, and none for marichat byeeee, but mostly ladrien, come on it's a miraculous fic you know there's gonna be an identity reveal, jackady, ladrien, not really sure if it's actually fluff, okay it's totally fluff, post-jackady
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-29 20:38:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6392887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredarmada/pseuds/theredarmada
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after Jackady.  Adrien is convinced that in order to get Ladybug to fall in love with him, he must meet her in his civilian form one more time.  But how far is he willing to go to make that happen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Time

The dark of night had fallen over Paris, but Adrien's heart was light. 

_“You have her smile.”_

It'd been hours since the love of Adrien's life compared his smile to that of his beautiful mother, yet his heart still raced every time he relived that moment. 

Adrien flopped onto his bed and smushed his crimson face into the pillow. 

“You can't still be thinking about this afternoon,” Plagg commented, floating over to Adrien and resting beside his head. 

“I met Ladybug,” came Adrien's muffled reply. 

Plagg scoffed. “What's the big deal? You see Ladybug nearly every day. That'd be like if I got excited every time I get to eat Camembert.” 

Adrien sat up. “You _do_ get excited every time you eat Camembert,” he nudged his kwami playfully. “This is different. Today _I_ got to meet Ladybug.” 

“You. Chat. Same thing,” Plagg sounded bored.

Adrien sighed dreamily, a gentle smile creeping onto his face. “Not to her. Not yet, anyway.” 

“You're not thinking of telling her?” Plagg asked. 

Adrien shook his head. “I'm getting ahead of myself. But did you see the way she looked at me?” 

“Unfortunately,” Plagg rolled his eyes. “If I could, I would have told you two to get a room.” 

For roughly the hundredth time that day, Adrien's face took on a scarlet hue. 

“What? I was there when she said you could get dressed _if you want,_ ” Plagg wriggled his brow.

Adrien shooed Plagg away from his face and got up to pace the room. What Plagg said was lewd, but he had a point. That was a rather Chatlike line coming from Ladybug, even if the delivery was more... awkward? Since when did Ladybug act awkward around him? Or anyone, for that matter? 

“Hey Plagg?” Adrien turned back to his kwami and spoke with a measured tone, “what if Ladybug doesn't love me as Chat Noir, but she could love me as Adrien?” 

“What if you gave up on this whole thing and just learned to love cheese?” Plagg replied. “It's less complicated than girls are, and it tastes a lot better too.” 

“I'm being serious,” Adrien grumbled. “Look, Ladybug has said several times that she doesn't want us to reveal our true identities to each other, and we all know my pick up lines are too good for any lady to resist.” 

Plagg nodded. 

“So what if she resists my charms because she knows we can't tell each other who we really are? Maybe if she got to know both sides of me...” 

Plagg narrowed his eyes and flew in front of Adrien's face. “So what are you getting at?” 

“Today Ladybug....” Adrien covered his blushing face with his hand, “... she never looked at me that way before as Chat Noir. What if she has to fall in love with Adrien first? Maybe if she could see that we can have a normal relationship aside from saving Paris in leather and spandex, we can finally be together.” 

Plagg, for once, didn't joke, “I see what you mean, but how can you get to know Ladybug in civilian form when you don't have any idea who she really is?” 

With a Chat Noir grin, Adrien said, “Isn't it obvious? I have to meet Ladybug as Adrien and get her to trust me enough to reveal her true identity. I just have to see her one more time.” 

“But how are you going to do that?” Plagg asked. 

“I think I have an idea,” Adrien said as he turned off his bedroom lights and settled into his bed for the night. 

Adrien and Plagg made themselves comfortable and were quiet for a minute before Adrien broke the silence. 

“Hey Plagg, do you think I've ever met Ladybug's civilian form as Chat Noir?” 

“Go to sleep, Adrien,” came Plagg's irritated reply. 

“You're right,” Adrien yawned, “that's very unlikely.” 

* * * 

Adrien hid behind a corner outside the school building before class the following morning and opened his bag. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Plagg asked, looking up at him from inside the main compartment. 

“It's the only way to show my Lady that we're meant to be,” Adrien whispered with steely determination. 

“Okay, yeah, but by drawing an akuma to the school?” 

“Do you have a better plan?” 

Plagg's ears drooped lazily and his head lulled to one side. “Yeah, we get some Camembert and forget this whole stupid idea.”

“You know I can't do that.” 

“I can't believe what I'm saying, but this is _dangerous_ , Adrien.” 

“The akumas never last long, and everything always goes back to normal after an attack, it'll be fine.” Adrien assured his kwami. 

“But can Ladybug handle it without Chat Noir?” Plagg asked. 

“Absolutely,” Adrien replied without a moment's hesitation. “Ladybug is a champion! She doesn't need me.”

Plagg gave him an angry look, but didn't justify that with a response. 

“Plus, you'll get the day off,” Adrien coaxed his kwami. 

Plagg sighed heavily, “fine. But how are you going to draw an akuma here?” 

Adrien peeked from around the corner at where his classmates were beginning to congregate. There stood Chloe Bourgeois, laughing at a window washer on a scaffold outside the school building. Adrien pointed at her and turned to Plagg. “That's my plan. Chloe has caused every akuma attack that has taken place at this school.” 

“I see,” said Plagg as they ducked back down, “so you're going to flirt with another girl to make Chloe jealous, and Chloe will be mean to her, and that girl will become the next akuma victim?” 

Adrien looked at his kwami with wide yes. “No no no,” he corrected nervously, “I was just going to wait around for her to... I don't know, say something awful, I suppose.”

“But how long could that take?” 

“Not long, trust me.” 

Plagg sniggered. Adrien shrugged. 

After a long pause, Adrien asked, “Okay, if I were to pick the next akuma victim, who would it be?” 

Plagg twitched his oversized ears. “I don't know, just pick someone in your class who hasn't been akumatized yet. That can't be too hard.” 

Adrien nodded in agreement and watched his classmates from his hiding spot. 

Chloe and Sabrina had arrived shortly after him. Antibug and The Invisible One, respectively. Besides, Chloe had to be there to create the akuma, so she couldn't very well be one. 

Nathaniel was sitting against a wall, peacefully drawing in his notebook. The Evillustrator. Plus, Nathaniel was a dude, so Adrien couldn't exactly follow Plagg's ridiculous plan of flirting with him to make Chloe jealous. Besides, Nathaniel had a crush on Marinette so it wouldn't work. Adrien wasn't sure why, but Nathaniel didn't seem to like him very much. 

Ivan and Mylene shuffled up together, hand-in-hand. Mylene had already been the Horrificator, so she wasn't a viable option. Ivan was the first akuma Chat Noir and Ladybug had ever faced, Stoneheart. Adrien was oddly fond of Ivan for bringing him and Ladybug together, so he couldn't bring himself to come between the two of them. 

Alix – Timebreaker – raced onto the steps just inches ahead of Kim – Dark Cupid – and pumped her fist in the air. Max – The Gamer – strode in behind them, declaring Alix the winner. Adrien was beginning to realize just how many of his classmates had been akuma victims. This might be tougher than he thought. 

Alya, who Chat and Ladybug had faced as Lady Wifi not once but twice, entered the grounds with her phone in her face – no doubt updating the Ladyblog. She wasn't a viable option either. 

Nino, Adrien's own best friend, who had been turned into the Bubbler on Adrien's behalf, joined Alya at the base of the steps. 

Adrien's blood ran cold. Had _everyone_ in his class been akumatized? He thought that keeping his identity a secret would help protect the people he cared about, but clearly Hawkmoth was still managing to get close to him. Just yesterday Hawkmoth's latest akuma had gone after Adrien's father. Adrien hoped Ladybug was far removed from the kind of trouble he was just realizing he might be in.

 _Finally._

Juleka – Reflecta – walked onto campus. Adrien had gotten up close and personal with her akumatized form. But Juleka was walking alongside Rose, nodding her head silently as the tiny blonde chattered on. 

Adrien's eyes flicked back and forth as he searched his brain, but as far as he could tell, he and Ladybug had never encountered an akumatized Rose. He felt bad for what he was about to do – Rose was much more fragile than the rest of his classmates. Or perhaps she wasn't, because she hadn't been akumatized yet. Adrien tried to ebb the guilt with that thought as he left his hiding space and walked toward her.

Whether he was focused on his mission or his Lady, Adrien wasn't sure. Maybe trying to push down his nerves gave him tunnel vision. Either way, his trajectory was interrupted when he careened straight into... 

Marinette. 

“Whoa!” she cried out, limbs flailing, as she fell onto the pavement before him. 

Adrien knelt down and offered her his hand. “I'm so sorry, Marinette,” he apologized, “I guess I wasn't watching where I was going.” 

She accepted his help and he pulled her to a stand. 

“I – uh-- It's o-okay, A-Adrien,” she stuttered, then smacked her palm to her forehead and muttered, “oh my god.” 

A smile tugged at the corners of Adrien's mouth. Something about Marinette's awkwardness never failed to charm him out of his dreary moods. He hoped for the day when he could confidently call her a friend. 

He stared at her a moment longer before he realized that he was still grasping her hand. And he kept holding it as he wracked his brain, searching through every battle he and Ladybug had ever fought. He could have sworn that Marinette had been there, for at least one of them, but he couldn't place her. 

Marinette had never been akumatized. 

The school bell rang, and in that moment Adrien decided to do one of the most recklessly Chatlike things he had ever done out of the mask. 

He kissed Marinette's hand and bowed, sweeping his arm in a lead-the-way type gesture toward the school steps and said, “after you, my princess.” 

A light flush of pink adored Marinette's cheeks and she bolted ahead of him into the building. Adrien strolled slowly behind, far enough away to give Marinette her space (what was the deal with her? Why didn't she seem to like him?) but close enough to observe Chloe walk up to Marinette, Sabrina in tow. 

“How pathetic, Marinette,” Chloe chortled loudly, “do you really think a guy like _Adrien_ would ever consider a girl like you? He's a super rich model and you're a baker's daughter. You don't stand a chance!” She and Sabrina brushed past her, laughing hysterically. 

Adrien's heart broke. He had caused Chloe to say those awful things to Marinette. Good thing Marinette didn't seem to care about him that much, those words would really sting if she actually liked him in that way. Not to mention, if his plan had worked, Marinette would be the next akuma victim.

He wasn't sure why the idea of this irked him so much. As he just realized, he had faced nearly every one of his classmates as akumas before. Maybe the fear of an akumatized Marinette stemmed from the guilt of it being his fault. Or perhaps it was the fact that he never felt like he had made up for his first encounter with her, and now he was digging himself deeper into her debt. If she knew what he had intentionally done, she'd never want to be his friend. 

Adrien sighed heavily, not really noticing when Alya passed him. 

“Chloe is despicable!” Alya said, coming up beside Marinette and putting her arm around her best friend's shoulders. “Who does she think she is, going around talking to people like that?” 

“It's fine,” Adrien heard Marinette's reply. “She's kind of right. You go on ahead, I'll just be a minute,” Marinette removed Alya's arm and slipped into the girls' restroom. 

Adrien had seen enough akuma attacks to know how they began – with the victim running off alone to wallow in anger and self pity. He considered following after her, to comfort her and stop the attack before it started, but he stopped himself. Marinette wouldn't remember being victimized by Hawkmoth. It would be fine. He just had to focus on the next step of the plan: getting time alone with Ladybug. 

With a heavy heart, he slumped into the classroom and distracted himself with thoughts of what he would say when he got to see his Lady again. 

The difficult part of his plan would be getting to talk to Ladybug. He knew that once an akuma showed up, she would completely focus on the task at hand. But yesterday she stopped and took the time to talk to him, if only for a moment. He didn't know how to recreate that while not inside his own house. Adrien hoped that whatever villain Marinette became would help with his endeavors to get alone time with Ladybug. 

Adrien snuck a glance over his shoulder, expecting to see Marinette's seat empty. He expected for her to come crashing in wearing a brightly colored disguise, complete with a cheesy nickname, and attack Chloe for the things she had said. But there sat Marinette, a little puffy-eyed but otherwise completely normal (for Marinette, anyway), in her usual spot. She must have come in while he was daydreaming about Ladybug. 

_She's tougher than she seems,_ Adrien couldn't help but feel a little proud of her strength. She wasn't weak enough for Hawkmoth to akumatize when nearly everyone else he knew was. But unfortunately, this meant Adrien had to go back to the drawing board. 

Regretfully, he cast his sights on Rose.

But could he do that to her? 

Turns out, he wouldn't have to answer. A scream erupted from somewhere on the school grounds. 

“Madame!” Marinette sprang out of her seat and shot her hand in the air. Then, seeming to remember where she was, she lowered her hand self-consciously and looked around the room. “May I use the restroom?” she asked more calmly. 

“If you must, Marinette,” Madame Bustier said, “hurry back.” 

Marinette ran out of the room without another word. 

“Where is Chloe Bourgeois!” A voice bellowed from outside. 

Moments later, the villain appeared outside the classroom windows. 

_Hey, that's that the window washer Chloe was picking on earlier,_ Adrien realized. 

“I am the Windominator,” the masked villain bellowed, “and I will wash Chloe Bourgeois from existence!” Then he took a gigantic squeegee and swept it across the classroom windows, completely obliterating them, leaving a blank wall in their place. 

_Is it just me, or are these villains getting worse and worse?_ Adrien wondered. 

The classroom was in chaos as everyone rushed the door. In the madness, Adrien made his way to the back of the room and hid under a desk, instinctively looking for a place to transform. It wasn't until his teacher and all of his classmates had left him alone that he remembered he wasn't going to transform this time around.

Adrien had to leave the classroom and go find Ladybug. 

Seconds later, the door flung open and Ladybug ran inside. 

“Quick, everyone!” She shouted, “You have to get out of here, the villain is trapping everyone inside the – oh, they're already gone.” 

“Ladybug?” Adrien's voice was filled with disbelief as he peeked up from his hiding spot. _What great luck!_

“A-- Adrien???” Ladybug's arms flailed about. She seemed a bit caught off guard. “I- I mean... funny seeing you here.” 

“I go to school here,” Adrien replied, getting up and walking toward her. 

“You uh, you sure do have a knack for getting yourself in trouble,” Ladybug commented. 

“I try,” Adrien smiled, only half joking. 

Ladybug smiled oddly for a long time before shaking herself out of it. “You have to get out of here and join the rest of your class,” she grabbed his wrist and led him to the door. 

“Ladybug!” the Windominator appeared in the doorway, “Give me your miraculous!”

Ladybug placed herself in front of Adrien and said, “Never!” before landing a hard kick in the villain's stomach, knocking him back a few steps. 

“Fine, if you won't give me your miraculous, let's see how long it takes for you to get out of this room without any windows or doors!” the villain laughed, sweeping his squeegee across the doorway, eliminating it. There was no way out of the classroom. 

_This is horrible,_ Adrien thought. 

Wait. 

_This is wonderful,_ he realized. He didn't even have to work to be alone with Ladybug. There they were, together in _his_ classroom.

Now all he had to do was talk to her, and she'd realize how perfect they were for each other. Then, she'd reveal her true identity to him and he would reveal that he's Chat Noir to her. They'd defeat the villain together and afterwards they'd go out for ice cream to celebrate. Then, they'd get married and live in a beautiful little chateau in the countryside and have three children and four cats and live happily ever after. It would be _purr_ fection. 

“Uh, Adrien, are you okay?” Ladybug tilted her head to the side, looking concerned. 

Adrien realized he had a big, goofy grin on his face. “Yeah,” he replied, putting his hand on the back of his head. 

“Good,” Ladybug said, all business. She didn't even look at him. “Don't worry, I'll get us out of here.” 

Ladybug swung her yo-yo at the walls a few times before drawing it back in and heaving a sigh. “Ugh, my yo-yo can't break through these walls. If only Chat Noir were here.” 

If Adrien were ever going to drown in a tidal wave of his own guilt, today would be the day. But instead, he cleared his throat and did his best Chat Noir 'impression,' “This is absolutely _cat_ astrophic, my Lady. I'll get us out of here!” He raised his hand in the air and shouted, “Cataclysm!” and scratched at the wall where the door used to be. 

Ladybug giggled. 

_Wait, what?_

Ladybug. Giggled. 

“That was a _purr_ fect Chat Noir impression, Adrien,” she beamed. “Are you a fan?” 

“Thank you,” Adrien blushed. “I'm –uh – friends with the girl who runs the Ladyblog, you know Alya? So I know a lot about you and Chat Noir. From the blog, of course,” he stammered. 

Ladybug took out her yo-yo and slid one half of it up. “I'm going to call Chat Noir so he can get us out of here.”

“No!” Adrien shouted, extending his hand out to her. She gave him a questioning look. 

Adrien retracted his hand and said, “I – I mean, what if he's busy? You wouldn't want to waste your boyfriend's ability on something as small as escaping a classroom. We can find a way out ourselves.” 

Ladybug sighed. “I suppose you're right. And Chat Noir is _not_ my boyfriend.” 

“He's not?” Adrien feigned mild surprise, hoping to get Ladybug to open up about her feelings for his leather clad alter ego. “You two work well together. I just figured you'd have the same chemistry when you're _not_ saving the world.” 

“Well I wouldn't know,” Ladybug admitted, taking a seat on Nino's desk. “We don't actually know each other's secret identities.” 

“You don't?” Adrien let out a small gasp and came to sit beside her on his desk. “Would your feelings change if you did?” He pressed, trying not to look _too_ invested in her response. 

Ladybug laughed and Adrien tried not to feel stung. “I doubt it. Chat Noir is my most trusted friend, but he is probably out flirting with every girl in Paris when he's not saving it with me.”

If that had come from anyone else, Adrien would have taken it as a compliment. But the fact that Ladybug assumed his affections were the careless actions of a serial flirt did hurt a little. Did she not know how he felt? 

“Besides,” Ladybug continued when Adrien didn't say anything, “I like... someone else. But he doesn't really seem to feel the same way.” Ladybug's legs dangled limply, her shoulders hunched over, her hands gripped the edge of the desk. Her beautiful blue eyes were downcast, avoiding Adrien's. He had never seen her look so helpless before. “I'm pathetic. A guy like him would never be interested in a girl like me.” 

Adrien's blood boiled at the thought of Ladybug – the most amazing girl in all the world – pining after some boy who didn't even pay attention to her. Didn't he know how lucky he was? Adrien couldn't imagine living with Ladybug right under his nose and not paying her any mind. 

He wanted to pound his fist on the table and tell her how wrong it was that _she_ should bother with anyone who didn't love her back. Whoever this jerk was, _he_ didn't appreciate Ladybug the way _Adrien,_ her partner and most trusted friend, did. 

But he had to play nice. He was mild-mannered Adrien right now, not smooth talking, apparently overly flirtatious, Chat Noir.

He scooted toward her and placed his hand on hers, for the first time ever feeling her suit with his bare hand. It was slick but not cold, her hand seemed to burn at his touch. 

“Anyone who can't see how remarkable you are is an idiot, bugaboo,” he murmured. 

Ladybug's head turned toward him and her narrowed eyes met his. “You know,” she said in a measured tone, “I've never heard the name _bugaboo_ on the Ladyblog before.” 

Adrien's face drained of color as he tried to think of a reason he would know Chat Noir's nickname for Ladybug. He jumped down and placed one hand on the back of his head and the other on the desk in a failed attempt to look casual. 

He stood there for a few awkward moments, but their attention was soon drawn elsewhere as a banging sound came from the wall where the door used to be. 

“Chat Noir, we're in here!” Ladybug sprang up and shouted at the wall. 

“Ladybug, your time is up!” A voice shouted from the outside. It definitely wasn't Chat Noir, but Adrien already knew that. “Give me your miraculous!” the voice bellowed. The banging on the wall resumed, but the Windominator clearly wasn't making any headway. Adrien stifled a chuckle – this wasn't the first time a villain prevented himself from getting one of their miraculouses and it wouldn't be the last. 

Ladybug turned to Adrien. “You have to go hide,” she urged him, “I'll call Chat Noir to get us out of here.” 

Adrien didn't move as she one again slid up her yo-yo and this time he didn't stop her when she tried to call Chat Noir. Since he wasn't transformed, the call didn't go through. Ladybug closed her yo-yo and let out an exasperated groan. “Where is that kitty?” she mumbled to herself.

“What if he doesn't know about the akuma?” Adrien defended himself.

“I doubt it,” Ladybug replied. “Chat's pretty sharp – never tell him I said that. There's no way he wouldn't notice an akuma attack. He's probably stuck in civilian form and can't find an excuse to transform,” she excused his absence neatly, but her brows furrowed and she didn't look completely convinced. 

“Is something wrong, Ladybug?” Adrien asked. 

“It's nothing,” Ladybug waved her hand dismissively, “It's just... what if he's hurt?” 

“I'm sure he's fine,” Adrien tried to reassure her without letting on how well he knew that to be true. 

With newfound determination, Ladybug pounded her fist in her hand. “Adrien,” she said, “I'm going to have to use my Lucky Charm to get us out of here. When I do, I'll only have five minutes to--” 

“To find a place to detransform before your identity is revealed,” Adrien winced at how confident he sounded. “Ladyblog... remember?” he laughed nervously. 

“Right,” Ladybug replied, sounding impressed. “So when I break us out, I need you to run, Adrien. Get far away from the school and--” her pleading eyes locked onto his, “--please, stay safe. I'll be gone for a few minutes but don't worry, I'll be back soon to finish this.” 

Ladybug reached for the yo-yo attached to her hip.

“Wait,” Adrien breathed, looking at her desperately. “What if it doesn't work? What if you use your lucky charm and it doesn't get us out, and your identity is revealed.” Adrien knew it wouldn't happen, but he didn't want to let go of her. He needed more time. He didn't want to go transform and become Chat Noir again, the flirtatious kitty she didn't love as much as _someone else_ and fight by her side like they hadn't just seen each other. 

With a pained expression, Ladybug replied, “that's a risk I'm going to have to take.” 

She reached for her yo-yo again. 

“Wait,” Adrien couldn't help but stop her again. “After we get out, can I come with you? I won't tell anyone, on my honor,” he said with one hand raised and one on his heart. 

“Adrien, you can't,” Ladybug's voice was hoarse, “Nobody must know who I am. Not you, not even Chat or my best friend or my parents. It can be lonely, but it's the best thing for me, for everyone I love, and for Paris. You wouldn't understand.” 

Adrien's heart ached when she voiced the familiar feeling of loneliness that plagued him every day. He didn't have anyone he could truly be himself around. If only she knew how well he understood. If only she could see both sides of him not as two halves but as a whole, as one person who loved her, both sides of her although he'd only met one, more than anything in this lonely world.

But Adrien could see how much her secret meant to her. For Ladybug, revealing her identity would put everyone she loved from her other life at risk. Her friends, her family, the boy she loved. She lead another life that Adrien wasn't a part of. Meanwhile he had nothing and nobody to lose if his identity was revealed. 

“Besides,” Ladybug chucked bitterly, “you'd probably be disappointed,” she said as she reached for her yo-yo yet again. 

“Don't.” 

Ladybug side-eyed Adrien but said nothing. 

“Don't do it, Ladybug. Save your Lucky Charm, it's too valuable to waste on a wall.” 

“But how--”

Adrien shushed her. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. 

And yet, it made perfect sense. 

“I'm sorry, My Lady,” he choked out. 

“What? Why?” 

Adrien turned toward away from her and faced the wall. He took a deep breath. 

He opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words. 

Another deep breath. 

_”Je t'aime,_ Ladybug.” 

He closed his eyes. 

“Plagg, transform me!” 

He stood before Ladybug not as Adrien but as Chat Noir. 

He couldn't look at her. 

The blood pounded so hard in his ears that if she said anything, he couldn't hear. 

He raised his hand in the air. 

“Cataclysm!” 

One touch and the entire wall that had entrapped them moments before was gone. 

Chat Noir felt a hand on his shoulder. 

“Let's capture ourselves an akuma.” 

* * * 

“Bye-bye, little butterfly,” Ladybug waved the white creature off the same way she did at the end of every battle. 

Chat Noir heard his ring beep, but there was no point in running off. He and Ladybug were completely alone in the school courtyard. Everyone, even the akuma victim, had abandoned the school. They hadn't talked about it during the battle, but he didn't want to leave without at least saying _something_ to her, even if he didn't know what to say. 

Ladybug walked over to him, and his cat ears drooped. 

“ _Bien joue,_ Adrien,” she whispered, holding her fist out to him. 

“ _Bien joue,_ ” he echoed, tapping his knuckles to hers lightly. 

They stood in awkward silence for a moment. Chat Noir glanced at Ladybug. Ladybug glanced at Chat Noir. Their eyes met. The silence stretched on. 

“Look, Ladybug,” Chat Noir finally broke the silence. “I know how important your secret is to you. I'll never again ask you to share that with me. But I just wanted you to know that...” his mouth went dry. 

“...That?” Ladybug asked, raising her brow at him. 

“That I love you, Ladybug,” he said quickly, “and I know that I haven't met you outside the mask, but that doesn't matter. Whoever you are in your daily life, you're Ladybug. And with or without the mask, it doesn't matter. I love _you._ ”

His ring beeped one last time and he turned away from Ladybug and toward the entrance to the school. 

“Adrien, wait,” Ladybug grabbed his wrist and spun him back toward her. In the same motion, he detransformed. “Do you really mean that?”

Adrien's bare hand went to her cheek and he cupped her chin in his palm, “yes,” he smiled gently, “without a doubt. Because I know you. And you may not think I know you, but I do. There's no way anyone as courageous, smart, and passionate as you can be anything but amazing all the time.” 

Ladybug's earrings beeped but her eyes remained locked on Adrien's.

With a swift motion, she took hold of his shirt collar and pulled him toward her, pressing her lips to his. 

Adrien tensed up with surprise, but soon melted into her. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her and they stayed intertwined long after he saw the light of her detransformation behind his eyelids. 

Adrien couldn't help it. He opened his eyes. 

“Marinette!?” he exclaimed, breaking the kiss. 

At a loss for words, Marinette shrugged and gave him a little finger wave. 

Adrien grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into another kiss, this one shorter and more passionate than the first. 

Their lips broke apart and Adrien pressed his forehead to Marinette's. “I'm glad it's you,” he breathed against her lips.

“I never expected to be so lucky,” Marinette replied. 

Adrien took Marinette's hand and they strode toward the exit together. 

“But what, My Lady,” Adrien smiled fondly at Marinette, “is the fun in expectation?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I've never written a oneshot this long before. I've been thinking about Ladrien meeting again since Jackady, and I know they met in Volpina but I couldn't resist writing this post-Jackady fic. Comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated!


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